PropsForward
Will Fly 4 Food
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2004
- Posts
- 374
Inoperative Equipment
Bummer, I was really hoping to avoid this one... <G>
Ok, 91.213 has 4 parts. Let’s review.
(d) is real easy. We do not have an MEL so (hopefully) we are in the right place.
(1) Easy. We are talking about a non-turbine powered airplane.
(2) Talks about 91.205. I don't believe this area is in question at this time...
(3)(i) Easy. If a mechanic removed it, the mechanic did a logbook entry.
(3)(ii) This is where I think the confusion is. Simply put, if it requires maintenance to disable the item, then you get to go to part 43 and review a whole bunch of grey area regs. If it does not, then use the K.I.S.S. philosophy. (Keep it sweet and simple).
(4) Just says a pilot can declare the item broke, and determine it is still safe to fly.
So, to answer your question. In this case (a dead OAT), 91.213(4) allows us to say the item is broke, it makes us use other methods of getting the needed information for performance, endurance, staying out of icing conditions, density altitude, etc, etc, etc. and determine it is still safe to go flying. 91.213(3)(ii) says that because we used (4) to get here, that we need to placard it INOP and since nothing needs to be done to disable it, we stop at applying the sticker labeled "INOP" and do not need to make any logbook notations. (key word in the reg. is "If").
Scenerio #2
If 91.213(3)(i) was used then everything is moot. A mechanic has made the determination for us and made an entry in the logbook. (Like when you rent an airplane and COM1 is a black hole where the KX-155 used to be).
Scenerio #3.
Lets play a little with 91.213(3)(ii) and get something that does need a note in the logbook. Let’s say the ADF is dead. Ok, so 91.213(4) – we determine it is broke because the needle is lying in the bottom of the instrument. We determine is safe to fly. 91.213(3)(ii) – We put a sticker labeled “INOP” on the glass of the instrument. Personally I would stop here since the ADF radio is not broke and it does have one of them cool-guy flight timers built in that I may want to use to time an approach or something. But for this, let’s go ahead and disable it. So we pop the circuit breaker and perhaps even secure a zip-tie to it (Skipping the can of worms part 43 for now). We note in the logbook that we disabled the item and blast off. Kewl.
Part 43. (What a nightmare).
43.3(g) The holder of a pilot certificate issued under Part 61 may perform preventive maintenance on any aircraft owned or operated by that pilot which is not used under Part 121, 129, or 135.
Ok, good to go so far…
We go to Part 43 Appendix A (c) and review the list of 32 items we can “maintain” and the item at hand (circuit breakers) is not listed! Uh Oh? Now what do we do?
Well, we can say it is not preventive maintenance (which is true), and determine the circuit breaker is user/pilot control that is within our authority to simply turn off.
So now. All is fine and dandy. But wait! We lost this ADF while enroute to Point B and need to return to base. And as luck would have it, the aircraft logbooks are back at the FBO. Now what do we do???
Squawk sheets is an even bigger nightmare in the FAA paperwork airworthyness arena.
Whew!
Ralgha said:
Bummer, I was really hoping to avoid this one... <G>
Ok, 91.213 has 4 parts. Let’s review.
(d) is real easy. We do not have an MEL so (hopefully) we are in the right place.
(1) Easy. We are talking about a non-turbine powered airplane.
(2) Talks about 91.205. I don't believe this area is in question at this time...
(3)(i) Easy. If a mechanic removed it, the mechanic did a logbook entry.
(3)(ii) This is where I think the confusion is. Simply put, if it requires maintenance to disable the item, then you get to go to part 43 and review a whole bunch of grey area regs. If it does not, then use the K.I.S.S. philosophy. (Keep it sweet and simple).
(4) Just says a pilot can declare the item broke, and determine it is still safe to fly.
So, to answer your question. In this case (a dead OAT), 91.213(4) allows us to say the item is broke, it makes us use other methods of getting the needed information for performance, endurance, staying out of icing conditions, density altitude, etc, etc, etc. and determine it is still safe to go flying. 91.213(3)(ii) says that because we used (4) to get here, that we need to placard it INOP and since nothing needs to be done to disable it, we stop at applying the sticker labeled "INOP" and do not need to make any logbook notations. (key word in the reg. is "If").
Scenerio #2
If 91.213(3)(i) was used then everything is moot. A mechanic has made the determination for us and made an entry in the logbook. (Like when you rent an airplane and COM1 is a black hole where the KX-155 used to be).
Scenerio #3.
Lets play a little with 91.213(3)(ii) and get something that does need a note in the logbook. Let’s say the ADF is dead. Ok, so 91.213(4) – we determine it is broke because the needle is lying in the bottom of the instrument. We determine is safe to fly. 91.213(3)(ii) – We put a sticker labeled “INOP” on the glass of the instrument. Personally I would stop here since the ADF radio is not broke and it does have one of them cool-guy flight timers built in that I may want to use to time an approach or something. But for this, let’s go ahead and disable it. So we pop the circuit breaker and perhaps even secure a zip-tie to it (Skipping the can of worms part 43 for now). We note in the logbook that we disabled the item and blast off. Kewl.
Part 43. (What a nightmare).
43.3(g) The holder of a pilot certificate issued under Part 61 may perform preventive maintenance on any aircraft owned or operated by that pilot which is not used under Part 121, 129, or 135.
Ok, good to go so far…
We go to Part 43 Appendix A (c) and review the list of 32 items we can “maintain” and the item at hand (circuit breakers) is not listed! Uh Oh? Now what do we do?
Well, we can say it is not preventive maintenance (which is true), and determine the circuit breaker is user/pilot control that is within our authority to simply turn off.
So now. All is fine and dandy. But wait! We lost this ADF while enroute to Point B and need to return to base. And as luck would have it, the aircraft logbooks are back at the FBO. Now what do we do???
Squawk sheets is an even bigger nightmare in the FAA paperwork airworthyness arena.
Whew!
Last edited:
